Publisher Details Del Ray

http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/manga/

Del Rey Manga launched its first titles in May 2004, when Random House and Kodansha entered into a large-scale cross-publishing relationship. As a result, Kodansha, the largest publisher in Japan, brought their strongest properties to the Del Rey Manga line. When the first four titles were released, Ken Akamatsu's Negima and CLAMP's Tsubasa were the top two graphic novels in the country, and CLAMP's xxxHOLiC and Sunrise's Gundam SEED were close behind. With just eleven manga releases that year, Del Rey's success resulted in its becoming the number four manga publisher in the United States, quickly establishing established the company as a powerhouse in the fastest-growing field in American publishing. In early 2005, the graphic novel news site ICV2.com selected Del Rey as the "Top New Manga Publisher of the Year."

But this was just the beginning for Del Rey Manga. 2005 saw the launch of a richly expanded line-up, including fan-favorite Genshiken and the bestselling Wallflower, and a brilliant milestone: in April 2005, Del Rey Manga celebrated its millionth manga in print. Later that year, readers had their own say when fan website AnimeonDVD.com named Del Rey Manga its "Top Manga Publisher of the Year." In 2006, Del Rey Manga's growing library got even more diverse, with the addition of the hotly anticipated titles Air Gear by Oh!great and Q-ko-chan by Hajime Ueda, and a fresh line-up of titles for older readers, such as Fuyumi Soryo's ES: Eternal Sabbath and Basilisk. Del Rey's record of releasing the best manga Japan has to offer continues, with new titles announced regularly. In 2007, a treasure chest of new titles will give every manga reader something to look forward to, from sweet romances like Kitchen Princess to instant classics like Mushishi, and with many more hot, award-winning manga still to come!

Manga Reviews: 2